On The Brink Of Tomorrow
by QueenXofXtheXDamned
Summary: Formerly titled "It Seemed As If Infinity Was Only Just Yesterday"-Matthew and Alfred have always wanted to leave their boring hometown. Then one night they make a wish on a shooting star and get what they wish for-it's just a bit different than they would have expected. Rating may go up as story continues. PruCan USUK and possible others.
1. Careful What You Wish For

**On The Brink Of Tomorrow**

Matthew and Alfred were running down the hillside as fast as possible, hoping to get outside of the town walls before anyone could spot them. The sleepy little village that they lived in frowned heavily upon those who wondered out of the security provided by the high, thick stone walls. But the two boys longed for something more. One day, they planned to see the world, but for now they would make due with sitting in the tall grasses that grew outside the confining walls. They would often sneak out at night just to sit and watch the star-filled sky, wondering what other worlds lay just beyond their reach. It was during such times that they would drink wine and eat bread and cheese; discussing the possibilities and making each other promise that they would one day see the entire world.

"Come on Mattie! You're too slow!" yelled Alfred as he reached the edge of town, stopping to push aside an opening in the wall. They had found it years ago when they were just children. Matthew finally caught up and playfully slapped Alfred on the shoulder.

"Well, maybe if you were the one carrying the basket, you wouldn't be able to run so quickly either." Alfred just shrugged and gestured for Matthew to go through. They both exited the town and Alfred closed off the opening. Their usual spot was just a little ways up the road, next to a scraggly looking tree in the middle of a field. A small clearing was already present from their nightly visits, making it easy to set up the small "picnic". Once everything was set up, Alfred and Matthew sat down and began talking and eating.

"Pirates. I bet you anything that there's a how lot of pirates just lurking around the seas! And they have totally epic battles with each other. AND that they look for cursed and hidden treasure." Alfred said excitedly. Matthew shrugged.

"I bet you almost anything that witches exist. Most of them are probably evil too, and mean with black hearts. The magic makes them bitter." he smiled and tilted his head. "But I bet if they were to ever love, they would be nice witches. Maybe." Matthew sighed and leaned back on his elbows, staring hard at the sky. These conversations were fun, but there was another matter they had to discuss still. "Hey, Alfred?"

"Hm?"

"...Papa's been talking of marriage soon. What about you? I mean, we are almost eighteen." Alfred sighed and took up a similar position as the other blonde.

"Yeah, mine too. He and Ma want me to marry Maya, but I hardly even know the girl, I can't just marry her." He shook his head. "I'm not even sure I want to get married. Seriously, we're really still just kids."

"True. And I was still planning on seeing the world. If we get married now, we'll be trapped here forever!" exclaimed Matthew. Alfred sat up and nodded.

"You're right Mattie." he glanced over at his friend. "Besides, I don't think anybody would take too kindly to who I truly want to marry." Matthew tilted his head in question, but Alfred just looked face suddenly lit up in excitement. "Mattie! Mattie look, a shooting star!" He pointed and sure enough, there was a streak of light that seemed to fall to the earth slowly.

"Close your eyes Al and make a wish! Shooting stars are magic!" they both closed their eyes and made a silent wish. There was a spark of light in the forest as the star continued to fall, and then disappear. Both boys stood in awe-stricken silence. There was a low murmuring that could be heard from inside the town walls.

"Looks like we better head back before someone notices our absence." The duo cleaned up and headed back to town. "Promise me Mattie, tomorrow we'll go looking for that star; it could have landed in the forest." He nodded. Alfred grabbed a hold of Matthew's hand shyly and leaned in closer to him."Hey, Mattie? Did you wanna know what I wished for?" He thought for a second, then nodded. "I wished we could run away together, just you and me."

"Alfred?"

"Mattie, I wished that we could be together, and that you would love me like how I love you." Before Matthew could reply, Alfred had kissed him on the mouth. It felt nice, warm and inviting, just like Alfred. When he pulled away, Matthew was blushing.

"I want that too, Al. Tomorrow, when we're looking for the star, after we find it, we can leave. Then we can see the world together, and we'll never be apart!" Alfred smiled and kissed him again, then bid him good Matthew was too wired, too eager to leave tomorrow. If he found the star now, they could leave right away the next day, no waiting. He left the basket on the stairs of the porch and ran back to the secret exit. He would find the star tonight!

**~XX~**

Matthew was climbing over a fallen tree when he heard a small whimper. He fell to his feet and turned around, surprised to see a huge crater. The whimper sounded again, so he inched closer to the edge of the crater. It was a lot larger than he had originally thought and quite deep too. He slid down the edge and looked toward the middle. Matthew gasped in horrified shock; he hadn't expected this! In the very center of the crater was a boy. Matthew ran to see if he was okay; it's not everyday there was a person passed out in the middle of the forest. The young man was beginning to stir slightly, whimpering out in pain. Matthew noted he had silvery hair and pale skin and was dressed in a simple white shirt and black trousers with black boots.

"Sir, are you okay? What are you doing out in the middle of the forest?" The male opened his eyes (a bright red) and groaned. He looked over at Matthew and grunted in confusion.

"Who the hell are you?" he looked around at the surrounding forest. "And where am I? Shit! Did I fall to Earth?" Matthew was taken aback. This guy was really strange.

"Um, I'm not sure how to answer that." The mystery guy rubbed his head and began ticking things off on his fingers.

"First: who are you?"

"M-Matthew Williams."

"Okay, good. Second: where am I?"

"You're in the forest just outside of my hometown, Quinen."

"Hm, no idea what that is, but oh well." He held up a third finger. "And third: Is this really Earth?" Matthew nodded. "Crap, now how will I get home?" he fumed.

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you exactly?" The young man paused and cracked a smirk.

"I'm Gilbert." He ran a hand threw his hair and sighed. "I'm a star, used to sit right up there, but now I'm stuck down here." Matthew didn't know what to say. This man had to be nuts! He just said he was a star! "My bruder isn't going to be too happy about this."

"Who's your brother? And did you just say you were a star?" Gilbert pointed to a large star that was next to an empty spot in the sky.

"That one there is my bruder, Ludwig." Gilbert looked directly into Matthew's violet eyes. "And yes, I'm a star." He could not believe his ears. This wasn't really happening; stars weren't people. But wasn't he the one who always said magic was real? Gilbert shot up to a standing position. "I got it! Bruder told me once that when a star falls, it has one wish. I can still get home!" Gilbert closed his eyes and was about to make his wish when Matthew tackled him to the ground. The silver haired teen glared at him. "Dammit Mattie, get the hell off!" But the blonde stayed firmly in place.

"I-I wish that you had to stay and take me around the world!" he yelled out. Gilbert began to thrash violently around, screaming profanities. Gilbert glowed for a few seconds then it flashed brightly and blinked out completely.

"No, no! What did you do, you little shit?" Gilbert cried out, tears forming in his eyes. "Now I'll never get home! I-I'll never see Ludwig again. I'm stuck here. Forever." he had stopped struggling, giving up the fight.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I don't know wh-what came over me! I take it back, I'm sorry!" Matthew pulled himself off of the other male and sat down on the scorched earth. Gilbert sat up and looked at his own lap, glowing again.

"Careful what you wish for," he whispered, grabbing on tightly to Matthew's wrist. The glowing intensified and then they were flying through the air, falling. They landed on hard ground, grunting in pain. Gilbert lied down on his back, exhausted from the use of his magic. Matthew looked around frantically, not recognizing where they were. "Man, that was draining. Tired..." Gilbert yawned and stretched. Matthew stood up and walked around.

"Where are we? Gilbert, where did you take us?" The tired star looked at him and sighed.

"We're at the beginning of your—well, our—little journey 'around the world'." He shrugged and closed his eyes again. "Duh, you made the stupid wish, Mattie." Said blonde was freaking out. What would Alfred think? Probably that he had gone off without him. Damn, what was he going to do? "Calm down, dammit. You look as pissed as a caged bird right now." Gilbert struggled to his feet. "Come on now, Birdie, let's go find a place to stay the night." Matthew calmed down and followed Gilbert. They walked over a rickety wooden bridge and into a small town."It would've been nicer if we had found somewhere closer to a port, but this'll have to do." Gilbert stumbled and Matthew caught him before he fell. "Thanks, Birdie." He smirked. "By the way, I hope you brought some money."

**A/N: Yeah...I dunno. Is this a good start? Maybe? Too much or like,boring? Review, please!**


	2. Let Chaos Rein

**Let Chaos Rein**

Alfred was on top of the world and it felt as if nothing could stop him. Maybe it was simply the high he was feeling from kissing Matthew, but he couldn't care less. He was going to escape this drab little town and see the entire world with the love of his life, and no one could stop them. Finally, their dreams would be fulfilled. What seemed like an infinity away was only a few hours from his grasp. It was really going to happen; nothing could stand in the way. Alfred was so excited that he wasn't paying any attention to his surroundings. This would prove disastrous. As he turned the corner, Alfred came to a stop; his father was there, just staring at him. Alfred wasn't sure if his father had heard him, and if so, how much. Hopefully, his father hadn't heard or seen what went on between him and Matthew. But one could only hope and he had no explanation if he had been caught. He took a few hesitant steps forward. His father's dull blue eyes followed his movements. Alfred felt cold, as if he was being stared down by a vicious predator. Which would make him the prey. Pure dread washed over him.

"Hello, father. I was just heading home. Were you looking for me?" He couldn't help but notice the shaky tone in his own voice. Why did he feel so scared? Maybe the elder man had seen nothing. The older male shook his head and grimaced at his son. He knew. Alfred could tell that he knew, he just _knew_ what he was planning. The expression alone was evident enough that he knew. It was a look of disappointment and...disgust. Alfred's stomach clenched and he felt like vomiting. He was a disgrace, a shame to the family; it was all written in those cold, sharp, _hard_ blue eyes. They bore into Alfred's very _soul_. His father began to speak, making Alfred flinch and shrink away at the tone.

"Alfred, what were you just doing, my boy?" his voice was glacial, unforgiving. A chill creeped down Alfred's spine and stayed there, giving him goose bumps. "What would possess you to do, or even think of doing something so absolutely foolish? Do you know what this would mean for our family?" Alfred was too shocked to move; his father was screaming at him, face turning red from anger and the strain of raising his voice. "Think of what the other townspeople will say! My son, planning to run off. And With another _man_ no less." Alfred was shaking. This could not be happening right now. Everything only just a few moments earlier had been fine—better than fine! Now his world was falling down around him. His father came to stand right in front of Alfred, hands holding tightly onto his shoulders, fingers digging in uncomfortably.

"Tell me Al, _what magic has possessed you to do this_? It _has_ to be magic, you wouldn't do this otherwise." He was shaken a bit. He looked into his father's eyes and saw anger and desperation. His father wanted to believe that it was magic that had caused his son into such disgrace, not his own free will. Magic would give him an excuse. But magic wasn't real, it didn't exist here. Alfred _had_ no excuse. It was all him. Everything. The sneaking out, wishing to escape, kissing Matthew.

Matthew...

What would his father do about Matthew, because surely he was in as much trouble as Alfred was in right now, wasn't he. Alfred hoped that Matthew wouldn't get into too much trouble. But there wasn't much he could do now; they had already been caught. Alfred stood fully erect, squaring his shoulders and lifting his chin. He was ready to take full responsibility for his actions. He would be gone by morning anyway. "No, father, I would." He shrugged out of the elder's grip, looking down on him. "There is no magic; I am of my own free will." Even though he sounded confident, he was trembling on the inside, scared to say the wrong thing, push his father too far. "I kissed Matthew. I kissed him and I did it because I wanted to and because I love him." His father's eyes were furious—blue fire—but Alfred continued on. "I love him and we were going to run away together. We were going to leave and never return. We were going to see the world." Alfred stopped when his father pushed him against the wall of a nearby house. He looked murderous, eyes glinting in the dim light of the street lamps. Alfred waited for the older man to hit him for what he had said. Instead, he shook his head frantically at his son. He was in denial.

"No, Alfred, I know this isn't you. It is _not_ you! My son wouldn't ever do this. Not to our family. There is magic here; that's the only explanation. Alfred, you're under a spell or something of the like." There was a horrified expression on his face. "You don't know what you're doing." Alfred tried to walk around his father to get away, but was stopped. His arm was held by the older male. "You are to go straight to your room, Alfred. Don't worry, we will figure out what's wrong with you."

Alfred just nodded obediently, looking down at his worn brown boots. He headed towards home with no intention of staying there any longer than necessary. Alfred planned to grab a few things they would need to travel, and then leave his house before his father could keep him trapped there. Then he would go fetch Matthew and the two would be off to start their adventure! It was just going to start a bit earlier than they had expected. He silently wished that his father wouldn't find out his plans _this _time.

Alfred reached the front of his home. It was simple, like the other houses that sat close-by, with two stories and a porch that spanned the front of the house. He stepped onto the porch and into the house. His mother was pacing the length of the front room, looking frantic. Once he went to go to the hallway to the stairs, she looked up. Mrs. Jones was a small woman that looked like something out of a fairy-tale. She had long, golden hair that reached down to her waist, delicate features, and large, wide ice-blue eyes. Her brows were knit with worry. She rushed forward to hug her son tightly around the waist.

"Alfred, son! You're okay! I thought something had happened to you!" He was curious as to why. They had never been so concerned before when he had disappeared to his midnight meetings with Matthew. Something was...off. Alfred pushed his mother away and looked into her pale eyes. "Al?"

"What's going on mother? You're usually not this worked up when I go out this late." she adverted her eyes from his intense gaze. There was something definitely going on that no one had bothered to tell him. He grabbed his mother by the shoulders and shook her gently, only enough to get her attention. "Mother, tell me what's going on." She covered her mouth and shook her head, tears collecting in her eyes. She gasped as she heard the front door open and slam closed; Mr. Jones had returned. She pulled him down to her eye level so she could whisper in his ear.

"Run. Get your bag and run. I've already packed it for you." Her nails dug into his arm painfully. His mind was reeling; what was going on? "This is the first time in fifty years that a star has fallen. And it fell here. They'll be coming to collect it and I want you far away when that happens, understand?" There was no way for him to respond, his voice caught in his throat. This was not happening. Why was his mother acting like a lunatic now that a shooting star just happened to fall near town? He couldn't ask for her to explain any further because she had pushed him away, motioning for him to go upstairs to his room. He stood there dumbly for a couple seconds until he heard his father's footsteps coming from the kitchen. "Jane, darling, is Alfred in his room?" She shooed him frantically.

"Yes, Martin. He came back just a bit ago." Mrs. Jones ran to meet him in the doorway of the kitchen, blocking his way into the hall. Alfred ran up the stairs as quietly as he could, taking two at a time. He slipped into his bedroom and was trying to calm down, his heart pounding harshly in his chest. Bag, he needed his bag. It was sat atop his large wooden desk. He peeked inside to check its contents. It had a few changes of clothes, something wrapped in white cloth—presumably bread—and money. There was also an envelope addressed to him. It instructed him not to open it until he reached the edge of the forest, where the townspeople could no longer reach him. He closed the bag and listened to any movement or conversation from downstairs. Nothing. Then yelling and a crash. The heavy sound of boot clad feet running up the stairs. Alfred locked his door, sure that his father was planning to do something drastic.

He opened his window and grabbed the bag his mother had packed for him. He leaned out of the window and tossed the bag onto a branch on the tree a few feet away. There was pounding on his door, yelling (from his father), and crying pleads (from his mother). His door bowed from the strain and Alfred decided that then was as good a time as any to jump. He firmly set his foot on the window sill and pushed himself up, getting ready to jump to the tree. He sprang his legs up, sure he was either going to make it or fall painfully to the ground below when something pulled his shirt. Alfred looked back, horrified to see his father now standing over him, Alfred lying with his back against the cool wood floor. But he had been so close! So close to freedom, to getting out of this sad little town, to Matthew! Alfred looked into his father's eyes and knew, he wasn't going anywhere tonight. Mr. Jones pulled his son up by the collar of his shirt and threw him on the bed. He picked up a long piece of rope he must have brought with him off of the floor and tied Alfred to the headboard. Was whatever was going on really that important? But, then again, his father had wanted to find out what magic was upon him; he hadn't shared Jane's idea of those going to collect the star.

Alfred kicked and screamed, trying desperately to get out of the knot that bound his wrists. The entire bed was shaking, groaning, but it did not break and the knot did not loosen. Alfred's father looked down at him with sympathy. His mother was kneeled down next to the top of the stairs, clutching her right cheek in both hands. Alfred kept still, focused on his mother's defeated posture. It hurt him to know she had been hurt, and by his own father, no less.

"Mom?" he croaked out. Her pathetic sounding whimpers could barely be heard over the rushing sound in his ears, and the frantic beating of his heart. "Mom?" he sobbed out a bit louder. She looked up with a perfectly blank face. It scared him. She shook her head; they had to let the father carry on for now.

"It's all right, son. We'll figure this thing out, I promise you." Alfred went completely limp, letting his failure wash over his entire being. The father closed the window, then exited the room. Alfred could only wonder what was going to happen to all of them now. He just hoped Matthew and his mother would be okay. How he hoped his father wouldn't do anything to him. Then, without warning, Alfred fell asleep.

**~XX~**

The warlock had just awoken from a long slumber, startled awake by a huge flashing light that filled the entire room. It was one of the many sensors he had placed throughout the mighty, decrepit castle that was his home. They would be set off by a significant rise in the magic levels in the surrounding human world that he held residency. The brighter the light, the more magic was present. It must have been a very powerful force; the lights were at full power, filling every room with the white glowing. This could only mean one of two things, and only one was enjoyable. Either one of his brother warlocks had finally arisen from their forced slumbers, or a star had finally fallen to the earth.

"If it's Allistor already awakened, I'm going to have to find that damned spell again." he grumbled out. He quickly dimmed the sensor lights, a headache beginning to pound in the front of his head. The warlock walked over to his detailed map of the human world and scanned it. The power spike had shown up in a small little village. Interesting, he thought. There were a few supplies he would need first, and then he would be on his way to either fight against one of his brothers, or to capture the fallen star.

As soon as he had gotten only a light bag full on possible supplies he would need, he opened up a portal to the outside walls of the village. Before he stepped through, however, he looked back into his room. Once he stepped through, he would not be able to return until he had finished his mission, of which he wasn't even sure that particular mission _was._

"Well, better get started." he sighed and hitched the strap of the bag up higher on his shoulder. He stepped through the portal and landed on the ground hard. The warlock hurriedly stood and dusted himself off and then started toward the town.

**~XX~**

Alfred was awoken to a harsh tugging at his wrists. His eyes focused on a slim figure: his mother. There was a nasty looking black bruise formed on her face where his father had hit her. The pressure was relieved from his wrists, and he sighed in relief. He slowly sat up in bed and hugged his mother.

"Mom, are you alright?" she pushed him away and he made a hurt sound. "Mom?"

"You have to go now, okay?" her eyes were wild. "Leave, get away from here." he just nodded and moved to the window. Before he leaped to the tree where his bag was still hanging from, he turned toward his mother. "Good bye, mother." she nodded her acknowledgment. He went down the tree as quickly as he possibly could, and then he full out ran to the gates that would lead to the outside world.

Alfred reached the secret exit and slipped through easily. When he turned back around, he was surprised to see a man walking some distance down the old dirt road toward the village. He couldn't properly see any distinguishing features due to the hooded cape the man had on. Alfred decided to just act as if nothing was unusual and walked the opposite direction.

When they were about ten or so feet away from each other, the man stopped and just stood there, facing the direction of Alfred. Alfred kept on walking, wanting to get away from the town as fast as he could. But then the man stepped into his path.

"You," Alfred froze to the spot. "Do you have any knowledge of a warlock running about?" Alfred shook his head, not knowing what else to do. "What of a fallen star?" At this, Alfred went completely still. The man took this as a yes. "So you do know of the star?" Alfred shook his head and walked away quickly.

"No, sir, sorry. Haven't got a clue what you're talking about."

"You're lying to me." Alfred was frozen in place again, this time not of his own free will. The man walked to stand in front of him again. "Don't worry, I can make you tell the truth." He let down his hood, revealing his face. Alfred gasped in shock.

**A/N: pretty long chapter with just Alfred and the warlock, but more Matthew and Gilbert on the way~ please review :D**


	3. Fated To Meet Upon A Starry Night

**Fated To Meet Upon A Starry Night**

After much searching, Matthew and Gilbert had finally managed to find lodging in the form of a small inn on the far side of town. They had wondered the deserted streets, hoping that they could find somewhere, _anywhere_ that would take them in for the night. But it was a small town, only a bit larger than Matthew's own hometown, making it difficult to even find an inn.

This town was very different from Quien, though. It lacked the same protective walls, leaving the town vulnerable to intruders (much like themselves) and susceptible to outside attacks, which didn't give the residents the same sense of security that the citizens of Quien had the luxury to have, apparently. Nobody was on the streets, doors were locked tightly, windows and curtains pulled closed, and no business was open. Both young men had nearly given up altogether when they happened across a sign that advertised an inn just down the road. It was the longest walk of Matthew's life.

Matthew had pounded on the door, anxious to finally lie down in a bed. Gilbert had leaned heavily against the small blonde; Gilbert was tired from the use of magic, falling to the earth, and from walking all the way to the inn. There was shuffling coming from inside, a lock clicking, then the door was pulled open. A older man, probably in his late seventies, stood in the doorway with long white night-dress and a robe left untied around his shoulders. Despite his age (and the time) the old man had a spark in his dark eyes. He looked at how Gilbert was leaning against Matthew and scoffed—not in disgust, mind you, but in amusement.

"Wha'do ya kids wan'a this time'a night?" his voice was gruff, yet warm. He felt familiar, like he could be the grandfather that everyone needed from time-to-time. Matthew adjusted Gilbert so that the taller male wasn't leaning on his as much.

"Sorry to bother you so late, sir, but we just got into town a bit ago. We needed a place to stay and were wondering if you could give us a room. We'd be very grateful." The man cleared his throat and stood up straighter, getting ready to speak when a small, plump woman—about the same age as the man—stepped out from behind him.

"Oh, Randell, give these poor boys a room. They look like they've gone through to hell and back," she opened the door wider and shooed Randell to the side. "Come on then boys. Come in and I'll show ya to ye room." Matthew grabbed Gilbert and they went inside, thanking the kind old lady. She waved it off. "It's only wha' any good person woul'do. Now, follow me." Randell shook his head, finding his wife's mothering hilarious, and then headed off to bed, knowing the boys would be in good hands.

Marta, as she had introduced herself, was talking about the inn while she led the two boys to their room. She told them about the old manor that had been turned into the inn, the history, architecture, where all the bathrooms were, and about the breakfast severed at early morning. It was kind of nice to hear her speak, though Matthew doubted he would remember even half of this stuff. Marta stopped in front of a large wooden door and turned around to face them.

"Well, this is your room, boys. Get some rest, and I will see you tomorrow morning at breakfast. You can pay for the room then. Good night, gentlemen." Matthew bid her good night and rushed into the room with Gilbert in-tow. There was a large window to the far wall that let in moonlight despite the curtains, a chair in a the corner adjacent to the wall with the window, and a large bed that took up a great deal of the room. Only one bed. Great.

"Night, Mattie," Gilbert hobbled over to the bed and then just fell down onto it; the poor guy must have reached his absolute breaking point. The albino was asleep almost instantly. Matthew walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, taking off his boots and glasses before lying down on the soft mattress. This was heaven! The only thing Matthew forgot to think about was how they were going to pay for the room. His breathing slowed and smoothed out as he fell to sleep, exhaustion taking over.

**~XX~**

Matthew woke the next day when the curtains had been pulled open, letting warm, bright sunlight into the room. He sat up, looking around at the unfamiliar room, taking a few seconds to fully remember what had happened the previous night. He felt sad at the thought of Alfred and how because of his own stupidity, he may never see the other again.

Maybe Alfred would understand if Matthew was somehow able to explain the crazy whirlwind of events that had happened in less than twenty-four hours. Seriously, what were the chances that the star they had planned on tracking down would turn out to be a young man, and that Matthew would be stupid and selfish enough to take away his only wish? So far, Matthew was either very fortunate or extremely unlucky. It didn't really matter at this point anyway; what was done, was done, and in the past.

Matthew felt around for his glasses on the nightstand beside the bed. Just as his fingertips brushed them, they clattered to the wooden floor. He was about to jump down from the bed to search for them further when a figure moved in front of where he sat on the bed. Warm hands brushed aside loose strands of blonde hair and neatly slid his glasses into place. The figure and the surrounding room came into focus. A guy close to his own age, with eyes the brightest shade of red he'd ever seen before. Matthew blushed at how close they were together. The other straightened up to his full height to give Matthew a bit of breathing room. He wore an amused look on his face.

"Thank you, Gilbert." Matthew whispered out, too ashamed to look him in the eye. Gilbert took a couple of steps back, smirked and lifted Matthew's chin so that they looked each other in the eyes; red meeting violet.

"It's all right, Mattie. Everything's fine, and I mean _every_thing." Matthew looked to the side and nodded. He felt awful about what he had done. "I'm not pissed at you anymore." Gilbert was trying to lighten the mood, but Matthew still felt awful.

"I'm sorry, Gilbert, for stealing your wish. I promise to help look for a way for you to get back home." Gilbert nodded and brushed his thumb across Matthew's soft cheek.

"I know you will, Birdie. I know you will." The albino quickly gained back his composure and walked over to the door. "Come on, Birdie, lets go get breakfast, I'm starving." Matthew scrambled out of bed and got his boots on, meeting Gilbert at the door. The pair walked down the hallway, trying to find the stairs.

"Hey, Gilbert?" Matthew asked. Gilbert inclined his head, acknowledging the question. "Why do you call me 'Birdie'?" Gilbert laughed and ruffled his hair, simply stating that Matthew was much like a bird; he had been caged for such a long while that his freedom had come at a price. Matthew rolled his eyes. They continued to what was hopefully the dinning room.

The room that they entered was pretty grand, something from out of a castle, it seemed. There was a huge table set in the middle of the room, glowing in the sunlight that poured in from the large floor-to-ceiling windows along one side of wall. There were only a few other people seated at the table, none of them talking much. Marta waved them over to sit next to her. Gilbert and Matthew obliged, not wanting to be rude to the kind spirited lady.

"How was your guy's night? I bet you two slept right good, the both of you looked like you'd pass out right at the doorway. Matthew smiled.

"It was very nice, thank you. We'd both had quite the day and were more than ready for a rest." Now was the question of how they planned to pay for the room. He looked to Gilbert, who was busy shoveling food onto his plate, and sighed. There was no way he would have money, he'd just got here. Matthew looked down at his wrist and saw the watch he'd gotten from his father. Sadly, it held little sentimental value for Matthew, but it was pretty expensive. "Sorry, neither of us has any money to pay you with," he held out the gold watch to her. "But I can give you this watch, if you'll except that as payment." Marta just smiled at him and took the watch from his hands.

"This'll do just fine, young man." Matthew sighed in relief. "Now eat! You're both too skinny." Matthew complied.

"Where is the nearest port town, ma'am? My companion and I need to get to one as quickly as possible." Marta thought for a second, then replied that one was about a week's walk away from the town if they stayed on the road. Gilbert thanked her and they all carried on with breakfast.

**~XX~**

The warlock let down his hood, revealing his face. Alfred gasped in shock. He had short, choppy blonde hair and thick eyebrows that framed deep, clear emerald eyes. His face was smooth and ageless. This warlock was too beautiful to be real. Alfred still tried to get away, but was hypnotized by those eyes. The warlock spoke.

"Will you please stop struggling? It won't get you anywhere." Alfred stopped and felt the cold, restricting feeling retreat from his body. "Better. I'm Arthur Kirkland, High Warlock of this realm, and you are going to tell me everything you know about the star." Alfred, too afraid to argue, nodded his head. "Good, then." Arthur inspected Alfred a bit closer, there was something about him he couldn't quite place. "Hmm, you have an odd light about you. Almost like..." he shook his head; there was nothing that indicated this boy had any sort of powers.

"Warlock?" Alfred was curious about this little fact. Arthur waved his hand and nodded.

"Yes, yes, a warlock. Nothing too special. Now, about the star..."

**A/N: Yes, Arthur is the warlock; congrats to whoever figured it out (though i made it painfully obvious)~ So I was wondering, what other characters would you guys like to see appear in this fic? Any scenario suggestions? Review to tell me :D**


	4. A Band Of Enchanter Are We

**A Band Of Enchanters Are We**

The two young men made their way leisurely down the road, already on their way to Rudor—the port city. Since they currently had no means of alternate transportation, they were going to have to walk all the way to Rudor. This wouldn't have been such a big deal had the city been located closer to where they had left from. But sadly this was not the case; it was about a week's walk, give or take based on the pace they were going. Matthew signed; neither of them had any money, so they didn't have any supplies, which worried the blonde.

Gilbert on the other hand didn't seem discouraged at all. His shoulders were relaxed, thumbs stuck into his trouser pockets, and a lazy grin spread across his face. He kicked at a small pebble in his path, watching it bounce on ahead of himself and his traveling companion. Matthew looked over at Gilbert in confusion; how could he be so laid-back?

"Why're you so happy? We have nothing right now. As in no money, no other clothes, no food or water, and no idea what the hell we're doing!" Matthew glared a little in Gilbert's direction. "How can you stay so calm?" To be honest, he was a bit irritated by the other's demeanor. To further his irritation, the Star just shrugged a careless shoulder.

"Well, it's easy," His long fingers slid fluidly through his pale locks. "I just don't think too hard about such things. I mean, there's not much we can do now but wait. When the time is right, we will be presented with an opportunity to fix these problems." Now the blonde was full on glaring at the other. Gilbert placed his hands on his hips, cocking them slightly to the left. "What?" he asked innocently.

"What the hell is _wrong _with you?" He threw his hands up into the air, exasperated by the absolute absurdity of Gilbert's response. "Why are you acting so collected when you know as well as I do that what you just said is total bullshit. How is it that out of all of thestars in the sky, you're the one I manage to get stuck with?" Now panting, Matthew let the frustration flow harmlessly out of him; such negative emotions didn't really suit him. Finally, he was able to get a hold of himself once again. "Sorry for acting like such an ass."

"Don't worry, Birdie." Gilbert ruffled his blonde hair. "The stress of worrying is getting to you. I've been watching the earth from the sky for centuries. I've seen vast and great civilizations built up and tore down; whole cities crumble." Gilbert walked over to the side of the narrow road and then after a moment, sat down. "So trust me when I say, eventually something will always come to you if you just wait a bit." Matthew looked down the road both ways and neither saw nor heard anything. He looked back at the albino. Gilbert patted the grassy spot next to himself. Matthew grumbled quietly about how preposterous this whole idea was, but sat next to Gilbert anyway.

**~XX~**

"This is completely ridiculous! Nothings coming; we've been sitting here for an hour and not even _one _person has come this way." Gilbert wasn't listening to him; he was focused on something else, the sounds of music and chatter. "That's it, I'm leaving!" They both got up to start walking down the road. Caught by the back of his shirt, Matthew came to a sudden halt. He turned around to glare at Gilbert, but he was pointing to something off of the side of the road. It was a huge camp set up at the bottom of the hill. People were singing and dancing, everything was a whirl of colors and sound. Matthew realized with a start that they were Gypsies; the enchanting and mysterious people he had only heard of in stories. He was going to be sure to be cautious around them, they were supposed to be tricky thieves and untrustworthy. Gilbert was pulling Matthew down the hill, much to Matthew's detest.

"Wow, I didn't think that would actually work!" They were running down the hill now. Matthew glared at the other.

"I should've known you had no idea what you were talking about. You just wanted to be lazy and take a rest, didn't you?" Gilbert just shrugged, still smiling. After a few seconds Matthew rolled his eyes, but smiled. He had only known him since yesterday, but somehow knew that that was just such a _Gilbert _thing to do. They had reached the bottom of the hill now, a few of the Gypsies staring curiously at them. Although Matthew was terrified beyond all comprehension, Gilbert remain calm, even going so far as to wave at a few onlookers. He almost dropped dead from a heart attack when Gilbert had began walking into the camp, heading straight for the center where most of the activity was taking place. Gilbert must have noticed all of a sudden that Matthew wasn't right beside him because he came to a sudden halt, turned around, and dragged him along by his hand.

"Gilbert, what are you _doing_?" hissed Matthew, leaning in to speak into his ear. "Are you crazy? Everyone's looking at us!" His words fell on deaf ears.

"We're almost there! Maybe the leader will be there so we can talk to him. I'm sure if we ask the right way, they will be willing to give us a ride to Rudor." The crowd was parting for the intruders as they continued on toward the middle. A huge mass of bodies all moving together, yet in separate directions stopped the duo from progressing. Matthew sighed in relief.

"Oh, well. Let's go back and start walking to Rudor." He tried to take off in the direction they had come, but his hand was still clutched firmly in Gilberts own hand. The albino turned to Matthew with a glint in his eye and a mischievous grin on his face. He was up to something, and Matthew was sure that he wouldn't much care for it.

"Looks as though the only way to get through is to dance with them." Matthew turned pale; he didn't know _how_ to dance! Every time he had been forced into lessons by his mother, he had always tripped and fallen and managed to get hurt. Dancing had just never been his thing. He looked at his feet and shook his head as he tried to (unsuccessfully) pull his hand free. "What's wrong, Birdie?"

"I can't dance," he barely even breathed the words. Gilbert's brow furrowed in confusion.

"I'm sorry, Birdie, I couldn't hear you. Speak louder."

"I said," he took a deep breath and leaned in closer to Gilbert. "I can't dance." He shrugged a shoulder. "I just could never really find a knack for it. I'm really kind of horrible at it." Gilbert laughed.

"Neither can I, but we can try, right?" Not having a chance to protest, Matthew was pulled into the dancing mass. He felt like he couldn't breath; there were too many bodies pressing in all around him. "Relax." was whispered in his ear, and he did just that. He followed the movements of the others around him, not perfectly but enough to not get knocked down. Faces where everywhere; colors, dresses, bodies blended together. A pretty young woman caught him by the neck with her scarlet scarf, pulling him in close and smiling all the while. Matthew smiled back, so hypnotized by everything that he was shocked back to reality when Gilbert pulled him by the sleeve. They had made it to the other side of the dancing.

There were only a few people sitting in this spot. Two young men that looked eerily similar, though it was obvious they were not twins, just brothers. One had dark brown hair and hazel eyes, a slight scowl on his face, arms crossed. The other had lighter hair and amber eyes and seemed a lot friendlier than the other, a huge smile on his face.

The light haired brother was the first to speak. "Look Lovino, we have guests!" He rushed forward to greet Matthew and then Gilbert. The other brother—Lovino—then stepped forward, pulling back his brother.

"Who are you two?" His voice was unwelcoming, clipped. "And why have you intruded our camp?"

"Lovi, don't be so mean! They probably just wanted to dance with us and party. I mean, just look at them; they don't seem like bad guys."

"Shut up, Feliciano, they could be trying to steal from us for all we know!" Feliciano frowned and looked closer at the two young men.

"I don't think so, fratello. They look like nice men."

"Actually, we're here because we were wondering if we might be able to stay a bit with you all. We were traveling on the main road when we heard the music." Gilbert had on his signature grin. "It had been awhile since our last rest, and this looked really fun, so Mattie and I decided to see if it would be all right to enjoy this little party."

"Sure, it's always fun to have new people to dance with!" Feliciano sang out happily, moving out from behind his brother to hug Matthew and Gilbert close.

"Feliciano, don't talk to them, they're strangers! What have I told you about talking to people you don't know?"

"What are your guys' names?"

"I'm Gilbert Beilschmidt and he's Matthew Williams. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Feliciano Vargas. There, now we know each other." Lovino rolled his eyes. "Honestly fratello, if I don't talk to strangers how will I ever make friends?"

"Whatever." he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Just go tell grandpa at least. He'd probably want to meet them too." Feliciano pulled them toward a good-sized caravan.

"Don't be intimidated by Lovino, he's really a nice guy. He just gets kinda grumpy sometimes." He reached out to knock on the door. "Now you guys came meet my grandpa! He's really nice too. He'll be glad to see new people to visit."

"I hope so, otherwise we're screwed." Gilbert whispered to himself.

**~XX~**

Alfred told Arthur all he knew about the star, which wasn't very much anyway."Are you sure that's it?" the warlock asked, slightly irritated. Alfred puffed out his cheeks and blew out the air.

"Yes, I already told you! It landed somewhere in the forest and that's all I know." Arthur nodded his head. He needed to hurry if he had any hope of reaching the star before it either woke up or someone else got to it. "So can I go now? I have to get far away from town before they come looking for me." This caught Arthur's attention. If others were coming, that would mean trouble for him.

"Others?" Alfred nodded, fidgeting at the thought of his father finding him missing again. "Then you have to come with me. I can't have you going off telling people about the star."

"What do you mean, 'come with you'?" Arthur sighed, not wanting to deal with another struggle. He rummaged through his bag to find an herb he needed. Just a bit would make the boy drowsy, willing to do whatever he said. "I'm not going anywhere with you!" Before Alfred could turn to run, Arthur panicked and shoved the whole bushel into his face, instantly knocking out the teen. Not what he had planned. Arthur kicked himself for such a rookie move, bending down to try and wake Alfred up. It was no use though, so Arthur rummaged through Alfred's bag, taking only what would be useful and leaving the rest. He looked at Alfred's still sleeping form and groaned.

"Well, might as well get going. If what you said is true, then I don't need them coming after _you_ and spotting _me_." He hoisted Alfred up and began dragging him down the road, and into the forest.

**~XX~**

Romanus Vargas was an odd man to say the least. At least, that's what Matthew thought of him. He was nice, but tended to ramble on about history and their ancestors. Other than that, Romanus a decent guy. He had convinced Gilbert and Matthew to stay until the morning at least. They would dance and drink and eat and just have fun for the rest of the evening.

**A/N: I know it's not much, but things have been crazy since this next school year is my senior year. But i promise to try and update at least once a week :D (Romanus is Grandpa Rome of course)**

**Review~**


	5. Peaceful Sleep, Dreaded Awakening

**Peaceful Sleep, Dreaded Awakening**

**A/N: Just real quick guys—my senior year starts **_**on the 7th**_**, so depending on my schedule updates may be either quicker or slower. Still open to suggestions for this fic, or if you have another story in mind; just ask.**

The bright, red fire was burning against his skin as he danced near it. Never before had he _ever_ felt this liberated. He was carefree and weightless of his previous worries, carried away by the sounds of joyous laughter, lively music, the smells of food and drink, and the other bodies dancing together with him. It was all so very wonderful. He wished it would never have to stop.

After a few more moments (minutes or hours—it was hard to tell) a man came to stand in front of him. The man grabbed him gently by the arm and tugged him so that he was pressed against the man's chest. The man leaned over to whisper in his ear.

"Come on, Birdie; I think you've had enough drinking and dancing for the night." It was Gilbert; Matthew smiled, burying his face into Gilbert's chest. He felt nice and warm. "Feli has found a place for us to stay the night. Let's go, okay?" Matthew just nodded. Gilbert had to catch Matthew more than a few times as they made their way out of the dancing crowd. Matthew felt a bit more daring in his drunken stupor; he clung securely to the older male, grinning and winking at the people they passed. Gilbert chuckled loudly at the blonde's flirtatious streak.

"My, my, Birdie! What's gotten into you?" A woman in a short, sheer red dress with a scarf wrapped around her shoulders giggled and waved at Matthew; Gilbert rolled his eyes playfully and continued to drag Matthew toward the caravan they would be staying in. "Come on, we're almost there." Feliciano and Lovino Vargas were standing outside of their own caravan waiting for the two's arrival. Before they reached it, however, a gypsy woman walked over to the brothers. She spoke in a hushed voice and made gestures in Gilbert and Matthew's direction. The lady couldn't have been more than twenty—twenty-four at the most—with long, curling brown hair, and she had on a plain brown and green patterned gown, earthy colors. Gilbert had seen her kind many times before: wise woman. A fortune-teller. They all had the same feeling surrounding them, almost like they weren't tied to a specific dimension, but as if they lived in a between world where they saweverything. Lovino nodded and waved the two young men over. Feliciano was still all smiles when they finally stood outside the caravan.

"Hey, guys! This is Susi," She turned to look at the both of them, her black eyes staring intently at their faces. "She wants to read your guys' fortunes! Something about you look important or whatever it is she said." Lovino rolled his eyes.

"Hush, Feliciano," The older brother pointed to the door. "She will read you in our caravan, and when she's done, we will show you the sleeping arrangements." Gilbert nodded.

"Thank you both." Susi shooed the brothers out of the way and led Matthew and Gilbert into the large caravan. The tall woman sat down on a bench next to a long window and closed the curtain. She waved a hand at them. "Sit," Susi commanded. Gilbert led Matthew to the bench seat opposite the gypsy woman.

"If you don't mind my asking, what is all this really about?" Gilbert stated bluntly; there was no way this woman just decided to read their fortunes for _fun_. No, there had to be more to it than just that. She smiled coldly.

"Ah, you are smart. And you are right; I have my reasons for wanting to read you. I know what you are, I know about why you fell. Oh, don't be surprised; it's obvious that you are a Star. But you just simply cannot seem to remember _why _it was you _fell_, am I right?" He nodded reluctantly.

"But, how? There's no way you could've known." A shrug. This was getting weird.

"I am different from most other of my kind—"

"I know; you're a fortune-teller. So what." He interrupted.

"Even among them I am different. I am between all dimensions; I see all possibilities, past and present. Unlike other fortune-tellers, I know and see the future is not certain, anything can happen to change it. No matter how small it may seem." Now all of this was confusing. Gilbert was jealous of Matthew, who was currently passed out on his shoulder.

"Okay, but what point are you trying to get across 'cause all you're really doing is confusing the hell out of me right now." Laughter bubbled out of Susi's mouth.

"Sorry, I _should_ make this a bit easier on you, shouldn't I," she controlled her laughing and spoke again. "I know why you fell. And I know what all of this will lead up to; it's the first time that all possibilities line up with one result. One possible future, although in slightly altered states."

"Why? Why did I fall, please tell me. I need to know, my reason because it must have been one hell of one if I fucking _fell to Earth_." His hands were clenched together. Susi just shook her head."I cannot tell you that; you must remember on your own. But I can tell you this: you may not _want_ to know the reason why. And I, for one, wouldn't blame you. Dark things are at work here. Things you cannot begin to understand." Gilbert was shaking from frustration. "Just try to remember this: even a curse can be disguised as a miracle. And always have faith in those around you, especially you friends." With that, Susi stood to leave.

"What the hell is _that _supposed to mean?! Explain it, please!" he grabbed her by the wrist. Suddenly, everything faded out into a blurry mess. He saw nothing but shapes and shadows. Then it twirled and focused on pitch darkness. Something moved within it, something evil and unnatural. Gilbert wanted to scream, but found that he couldn't move. The room came back into focus. Susi had lied him down on the bed, right next to Matthew, who was still asleep.

"Oh, dear. You shouldn't have done that, but now you have at least seen a glimpse of what is to come." Gilbert was still petrified from the scene. "I pray that will be enough."

"What was that? It was—it was so _evil_. I felt lost and hopeless, like it was sucking the life out of me." Susi quieted him down."Do not dwell on such thing now; it will all come in time."

"Is that how you always see? Everything and nothing? Blurs?" Susi nodded, patting his head and then leaving. By the time Lovino and Feliciano came in, Gilbert was passed out.

"Well, at least they fell asleep on the right bed," Lovino swung himself up onto another bed, Feliciano on the one below his. "Turn out the lamp, Feli." Feliciano did as told and snuggled under his covers. He drifted off to sleep wondering what Gilbert and Matthew's fortunes were.

**~XX~**

There was something soft and warm under his head. At first he wanted to stay there and burry his head further into the warmth, but then he woke up a bit more and scrambled to get up and standing. Arthur watched, only slightly amused. The other pointed an accusing finger at the short warlock. "Y-you!"

"Yes, what about me?" Just the look on the human boy's face was enough to send Arthur on the verge of laughter. But, of course, he maintained his composure; he was forever serious.

"What did you do to me?!" Arthur shook his head and shrugged.

"You passed out and I carried you into the forest so that neither of us would be seen. You really should be _thanking_ me." Alfred looked around, not seeing his bag anywhere.

"Where's my stuff? What did you do with my stuff?!" Arthur shrugged again—he hoped this wouldn't become a habit—and pointed to his own bag.

"I only took what was necessary: money, food, that's it." Alfred slumped to the ground.

"There was a letter. There was a letter in my bag from my mother addressed to me; what did you do with it?" Arthur shook his head. The younger man placed his face in his hands, feeling defeated. Now he'd never know what it said, what his mother wanted to tell him. "What do you even want with me?" his voice held none of his seemingly perpetual joyfulness it usually did.

"You know about the Star _and _about me. I can't risk having you blab to anyone and I really don't want any of your blood on my hands. Besides, I'll need a servant to accompany me on this, hopefully short, adventure."

"No! Why the hell would I help you? You kidnapped me and drugged me and stole from me." a bit of his old spark came back.

"You will help me, because if you don't, then I will murder your family and curse you to never have a shred of happiness in your life again." Alfred gave up again. "Fine," he muttered out. Alfred thought of his mom and dad, and of Matthew. He hoped Matthew would at least be safe.

**~XX~**

Deep underneath the earth, where it was dank and dark, he stirred. A rumble went throughout the underground, energy powerful enough to vibrate the very planet itself. It was nearly time. He would rise again, and when he did, there would be hell to pay.

**A/N: So I'm going to end it here. If you read the A/N at the top, you may notice that I actually started writing this BEFORE school even started. But it's been crazy; I've been going straight from school to work, then home to my homework. But I am trying! So don't worry about updates, I will get them out even if they may be a bit slow.**

**Please, review to let me know what you think and I will update as soon as I possibly can :D**


	6. Secrets Best Not Told

**Secrets Best Not Told**

****A/N: Don't question it, just take it; take the update. Enjoy~****

Both boys woke up on the bed. Matthew had a headache and Gilbert still felt tired from the events involving Susi. Neither moved as they awoke; Gilbert was the first to fully open his eyes. He laughed loudly, causing Matthew's head to pound and him to groan. They were snuggled together in the bed they had passed out in the night before. Matthew peeked through his eyelashes and gasped; Gilbert's face was just centimeters away from his own. He struggled to a sitting position, all the while pushing the Star away.

"Hey, if you two love birds are ready, breakfast is about to be served." Lovino was standing by the side of the bed, hands on his hips and scowl evident on his face. Matthew stood and stretched out while Gilbert yawned. He wished they could sleep in at least a bit longer.

"Come on, Mattie. You must have a killer headache, let's go get you something to eat and drink." Matthew groaned and flopped back onto the mattress. "Go on, I'll get him up."

"Whatever. Just hurry up." Lovino exited the caravan.

"Mattie! Birdie~ Get up, come on." Gilbert moved closer to his side. "If you don't get up now, I'm going to carry you out of here." Matthew's eyes grew wide and he blushed. He pushed Gilbert away.

"I'm up, I'm up! Please don't do that!" His blonde hair was sticking up in odd places and his eyes looked larger without his glasses. Not able to help himself, Gilbert laughed at Matthew's just-awoken look.

"Come on, let's go eat."

**~XX~**

Breakfast was relatively normal, except for the fact that they ate outside.

"What kind of meat do you think this is?" Gilbert leaned over to ask Matthew. "We don't have this stuff where I'm from."

"I don't know, just eat it." Matthew didn't really want to know what kind of meat he was eating; he was just glad to have food. So far they had been lucky enough to find accommodations and nice people. He knew they would have to find a way to get money soon, but for now, he would wait until they got to the port. They would have to wait and see. Hopefully the issue of money and food would eventually work itself out. Either that or Matt found a way to...no. He was getting ahead of himself. Both of them would just have to be patient.

Romanus spoke over the breakfast chatter. "Matthew, Gilbert, where were you two heading? We were planning to leave after breakfast is cleared up." Gilbert swallowed down a mouthful of eggs and then spoke up.

"We were actually going to Rudor see about making it to a market to pick some stuff up. But then our means of transport...fell through. And we're out of money for the time being." Matthew poked at his food, waiting to see where this conversation would lead to, ready to jump in if Gilbert needed saving. Another few bites, another few moments of silence on Romanus's part. The leader was scratching his chin in thought as Feliciano whispered softly to him, motioning toward their unexpected guests. They finished and Romanus nodded.

"We ourselves were planning to visit Rudor for market; we were going to set up there for the fair. If you want, we would be willing to take you two along with us." Romanus ignored the look of mild irritation on Lovino's face. He looked to both young men.

"Sure, that would be wonderful! Thank you all so much, you-you have no idea how much this means to us." Matthew was blabbering on due to the happiness radiating from the offer. They would be able to reach the city sooner and not have to worry about food or lodging for a while longer until they got there. And maybe when they got there, Matthew would be able to find a way out of the wish. He had been feeling guilty ever since that night he trapped Gilbert one Earth without hope of getting back home. Now they were both stranded with no means of survival except for the luck they seemed to have.

Everyone finished their breakfast and began to prepare for the trip to Rudor. Matthew and Gilbert helped Feliciano and Lovino pack up their wagon. As Gilbert was putting away some bird cages, he caught sight of Susi. Their eyes held each other's for a moment and then they carried on. A shiver ran down his spine; what could have possible made him fall? It was a disturbing thought.

**~XX~**

Both males were quiet as they went through the forest, not stopping for anything. Arthur wanted to get as far away from the small town as possible and try to find a road. If they hurried, they might be able to catch up with the Star before it could leave the relatively tiny island and head toward the mainland. If it made it to the mainland, there was very little hope of him ever finding it since the mainland was so large. The warlock might have been able to find his way out of the forest sooner if the human behind him wasn't dragging his feet! It was annoying, but partially his own fault. The poor kid _had_just been drugged on account of Arthur's panic, so he allowed the boy a little slack.

Alfred felt horrible as he was forced to follow behind the warlock. His whole body hurt from the earlier events concerning his father and then with Arthur knocking him out. He felt exhausted and wanted nothing more than to just turn around, go home, and curl up in his nice soft bed. But he couldn't do that for a number of reasons. Which just made him feel even worse as he continued thinking about it. A branch caught on the sleeve of his shirt and he cursed under his breath before swatting it away.

"Hey, Arthur, when can we stop?" Alfred whined out, rubbing his arm.

"Well, first we have to get out of this forest, then follow the road to the nearest town and find a place to stay. _Then _we can rest." The taller blonde slouched a bit at this. "Please stop making that face."

"But I'm so tired!" pouted Alfred. He felt like he could pass out at any given time right then.

"Don't be ridiculous, we're almost to the edge of the forest, so stop acting like a child." He rolled his eyes at the whiny teen. It was only a couple more feet until they were out of the forest, but Alfred made it seem like it was a thousand. They finally stepped out of the foliage and onto a dirt road. Alfred let out a whine.

"You're supposed to be a Warlock, right? Why can't you just use your magic or something to teleport us to the nearest town?" He was asking out of both desperation and curiosity.

"Well, for a number of reasons. Magic like mine can't be taken lightly and just used whenever I so please; it takes energy away from me, especially if I were to have to teleport another person as well. Plus, it would be easier to collect information on the star if we travel the old-fashioned way. Teleportation is useless if I have no idea where I'm supposed to be going." Arthur waved Alfred to continue on. "Hurry up." He looked over his shoulder at the miserable teen. "Just think of it like this; the faster you walk, the sooner we get there. And the sooner we get there, the faster you get to sleep in a nice bed."

The only thing that kept Alfred from fainting anytime as they made their way down the road was the promise of a bed to sleep in. He just hoped they would be able to get there soon. "Hey, why do you need to find this star anyway?"

"There are some things about me that you are better off not knowing."

**A/N: So sorry it's been forever since I've done anything on here, but I'm back~ But hopefully I won't have anymore health scares and will be able to actually work on my stories. Also, a WIP map of where this takes place is now the Story image, but it's kind of blurry. If anyone would like a larger version just let me know.**

**Review, please ^.=.^**


	7. There Is Nothing You Can Say

**There Is Nothing You can Say**

The two males came across a fork in the road. Arthur decided to go to the left, figuring the Star would head toward the town that seemed to be larger than the other, smaller one further away to the right. Alfred was still complaining of exhaustion, but the warlock chose to ignore him no matter how grating his voice sounded. As they reached the inside of town, Alfred let out a relieve huff followed by an irritated groan. He dragged his feet as he walked, not having enough energy to pick his feet up all the way.

"Where's an inn? I'm tired and you said we'd have a room by now." Arthur ignored him and continued to walk down the deserted street. There was a decent sized building about a half mile down the road that had a sign out front, which he bet advertised that the place was, in fact, an inn. "Do you even know where you're going?" The blonde glared at him from over his shoulder, silencing him. It felt like the walk to the inn would last forever and Alfred was about to give up and sit on the side of the street to rest. He ran into the warlock's back and grunted in confusion. Arthur rolled his eyes and motioned him to follow. Sure enough, the place was an inn. Hopefully they would be allowed in, thought the younger male.

A gruff looking man that looked to be in his early thirties sat behind a desk reading a small, pocket-sized book. He barely looked up as they two males entered the lobby. His feet were propped up on the large wooden desk which held various papers and food and drink from the employee. The man mumbled the last few words of a sentence in the book and closed it, making sure to keep his place. "Can I help you two gentlemen? It's rather late, what are you doing out this time of night anyway?" The man asked, confused. Rarely did anyone come in at such an obscene time of the evening. The man tried to keep the exasperation out of his voice when addressing them. Arthur bored his emerald gaze into the man's own pale gray eyes.

"Sorry to have arrived at such an inconvenient time of the night, but we were wondering if we could bother you for a room." The man sighed and looked at the last key hanging up on the wall behind him.

"There is only one room left that is available. It's only a single bed though, sorry for that." Arthur nodded his head and grabbed the key from the guy as the man held it out to him.

"That is all right, thank you for your help. How much for the room?" The warlock reached into his bag and pulled out a few gold coins, setting them on the desk. The man's eyes went wide in shock. "I trust this should be enough." Snatching the coins off of the desk, the man smiled and thanked the warlock.

"Your room is up on the second floor, north hall, and fourth one on the right. Have a nice night, gentlemen." Arthur nodded in his direction and went up the stairs, Alfred following. As soon as they reached the room, Alfred rushed past the warlock and went straight to the bed, collapsing on it face first. Arthur shook his head, sitting on the edge of the bed. He took off his shoes and hung up his hooded cape and his bag. He sighed, also quite exhausted from the unexpected turn of events.

"Alfred," he nudged the younger male on the shoulder. "Hey, move over a bit, please. I would really love to be able to lie down too, ya know." The other was already out cold though. Sighing a bit, he gently pushed Alfred to make room for himself to lie on the bed. Hopefully they wouldn't have to stay in this small in for too long and would find the Star soon. Soft snores filled the room as Arthur drifted off to sleep.

**~XX~**

Alfred woke to the sounds of hurried running about. He groaned, not quite remembering everything that happened and still exhausted from the nights previous activities. Sitting at the end of the bed was Arthur, getting his shoes laced up. Alfred groaned and flopped back onto the bed, overly dramatic. "So everything was real. It all happened. And I'm stuck here, with you, in a town in the middle of who-knows-where!" He threw his hands up in annoyance. Arthur just rolled his eyes and finished getting dressed, his hair still damp from his shower.

"Basically," The warlock shrugged and poked at Alfred's leg. "You should probably take a shower too. Ya look filthy from running all through the forest last night." He walked over to his bag and pulled out an extra pair of clothes that would–hopefully–fit the larger male. "Here, so you're not wearing the same, dirty clothes when you get out." The younger male was still lying down, not wanting to face his current situation. "Come on, you need to at least take a shower if all you're planning on doing today is resting!" Reluctantly, Alfred sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.

"Fine," He grabbed the clothes and stepped into the small bathroom, closed the door, and proceeded to go about taking his shower.

"You might need to let the water run a bit before it warms up!" Arthur warned. He had learned that himself as he had gotten ready for his own shower earlier. The water had been freezing when he had stepped in.

Arthur waited a few minutes until he was sure that Alfred was in the shower before he sat on the bed with his bag next to him. He reached inside and pulled out Alfred's letter from his mom. A twinge of guilt stung at his heart as he thought of how he had lied to the younger male when he had asked about it. Quickly brushing it off, Arthur opened the letter, curious. He read through the contents, eyes growing wider with each sentence. As he finished, the water shut off and he quickly shoved the letter back into his bag. The warlock left a note on the bed explaining that he had gone out for a bit and would be back in time for dinner and that he would send someone up to bring him breakfast. He exited the room, making sure to put a spell on the door so that it could only be opened from the outside.

Arthur thought over the content of the letter as he walked downstairs to the lobby. Well, that had certainly changed things a bit.

**~XX~**

Hours later the warlock returns to the shared room and is greeted by a slightly angry blonde. He sets down the dinner foods he had brought for them to eat and crosses his arms at the boy.

"Where were you that you were gone _all day? _I mean really! And then you had me trapped up here all day too. What if i had wanted to go with you? It's no fun being cooped up all day in a dingy little room with nothing to do!" Alfred was slightly red in the face when he finished, arms also crossed. He looked over to the food and snorts. "There's no way it took you all day to shop for that much food."

"Of course not. I was going around town to see if I could find any information about the Star. And I had to keep you locked up in here because I couldn't risk you getting out and then telling everyone about the Star. I though we already covered that part." Arthur spoke calmly, uncrossing his arms to hang up his cape and bag. "Anything else you'd like to complain about?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact! These clothes you gave me are too short on me. I feel like a giant trying to fit into dwarf clothes." Indeed, they were too small on his tall frame. The pant legs came up almost four inches above his ankles and he hadn't even bothered to put on the shirt.

"Don't worry, I got you some more clothes that should fit you in one of the bags there. Not much, but better than nothing." Alfred searched through the bags and found a few shirts and a couple pairs of pants. He pulled them out, but there was something else on the bottom of the bag. He pulled out a nice, brown jacket. It looked like it would be warm. He looked over to the warlock, his cheeks reddening from embarrassment at his earlier outburst.

"Thank you, Arthur." The older of the two nodded his acknowledgment. "Sorry for yelling. It was just really frustrating being trapped in here all day. Can I at least come with you tomorrow? I won't try to run off, I swear!"

"Sure, I'll need some extra help tomorrow. We'll probably have to stay for at least two more days to see if there's any rumors or anything going around about the Star." Alfred brightened up at hearing this. "Eat, and then go to sleep; we'll be gone all day tomorrow, so you'll need your rest." The younger of the two nodded. Arthur watched as he ate, not able to eat anything himself. The letter still shook him up a bit and a heavy feeling settled in his stomach, not allowing him to hold anything down without wanting to throw it all back up.

After he had finished up and got ready for bed, both blondes settled in for bed.

**~XX~**

****The next day was spent wondering throughout town trying to gather any information on the Star, but so far, there was none. Arthur felt like a fool for not finding even a shred of knowledge pertaining to the Star, though Alfred tried assuring him that it would probably be a day or two longer until they would be able to find something.

The possibility that the Star might have already passed through this town and onto a different one came to mind as they headed back to the inn room. Arthur decided that the next day, they would leave for the closest town over from this one. Maybe there they would have a bit more luck.

**A/N: Sorry, this was mostly a catch up chapter for Al and Artie D: and too that this was so late. Is it just me, or do senior years go by way too fast?**

**Review, please :D**


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